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Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection

Opera Recommendations

I generate my Recommended CD files from a database I keep on my music. My recommendations come from first hand experience as every CD I recommend I actually own. For any list of recommendations some "ground rules" have to be established so that the recommendations are meaningful and people will know what they are looking at.

I also think it's important to make sure that recommended recordings are actually available. This essentially means that if it isn't out on CD, it isn't available. I find that many people give recommendations from their LP library, and this isn't very useful since no one can actually purchase the recording. If people want to make recommendations as to what recordings to look out for that may be released in the future, then that may be best handled in a separate list. A similar situation exists with respect to tapes.

It is also very important to give complete information with each suggestion including timing, precise label and catalog number, SPARS if known and all performers/parts.

The following list was originally distributed on rec.music.classical and started with a Paul Korenhof book called something like "The 100 Most Beautiful Operas" in which he also gives recommendations as to recordings. The list is not current, so a bit of research may be needed to identify availability and catalog numbers (See a recent issue of Opus). In addition to the original Korenhof list, contributions were made by some of the rec.music.classical regulars (e.g., Jon Alan Conrad who is a contributing opera critic for the NY Times) as well as some published information by the opera critic Charles Osborne. This list was originally prepared by Bart Gerritse based on input from all comtributors.

The recordings were selected the recordings using the following criteria:

If on a constant high level, his favourite version

If his favourite has serious flaws, then the second, etc.

All must be (have been) available on CD.

I have collected the responses on this list. Major contributors are Jon Conrad, Vinh Nguyen and Charles Osborne (posted by Alak Chakravorty).

Barber

Vanessa

CO

Mitropoulos/Steber/Gedda/Elias

Beethoven

Fidelio

PK,VN,CO

Klemperer/Ludwig/Vickers/Frick

Bellini

La Sonnambula

PK

Votto/Callas/Zaccaria/Cossoto/Monti

CO

Bonynge/Sutherland/Pavarotti

Bellini

Norma

PK,VN,CO

Serafin/Callas/Corelli/Ludwig

VN

Serafin/Callas/Del Monaco/Stignani

Bellini

I Puritani

PK,VN,CO

Bonynge/Sutherland/Pavarotti

Berg

Wozzeck

PK

Abbado/Grundheber/Behrens

JC,CO

Bohm/Fischer-Dieskau/Lear

Berg

Lulu

PK

Boulez/Stratas/Minton

CO

Bohm/Lear

Berlioz

Les Troyens

PK,VN,CO

Davis/Vickers/Veasey

Berlioz

Benvenuto…

CO,PD

Davis/Gedda/Massard/Eda-Pierre

Bernstein

West Side Story

CO

Original Cast Recording

Bizet

Carmen

PK,JC

Solti/Troyanos/Domingo/van Dam

VN

/Victoria de los Angeles

CO

Pretre/Callas/Gedda/Massard

Boito

Mefistofele

PK

Rudel/Treigle/Domingo/Caballe

Britten

Peter Grimes

PK

Davis/Vickers/Harper

JC,CO

Britten/Pears/Watson

Britten

The Prodigal…

PK

Britten/Pears/Shirley-Quirk

Britten

The Turn of…

JC

Davis

Britten

Billy Budd

CO

Britten/Pears/Glossop/Langdon

Britten

Death in Venice

CO

Bedford/Pears/Shirley-Quirk

Britten

A Midsummer…

CO

Britten/Deller/Harwood/Brannigan

Charpentier

Louise

PK

Pretre/Cotrubas/Domingo/Berbie

Cilea

Adriana Lecouvreur

PK

Capuana/Tebaldi/Del Monaco D'Albert

Tiefland

EB

(Acanta)

Debussy

Pelléas et…

PK

Dutoit/Alliot-Lugaz/Henry

CO

Ensermet/Maurane/Spoorenberg

Delibes

Lakme

PK,VN

Bonynge/Sutherland/Bacquier/Vanzo

Donizetti

L'Elisir…

VN

Bonynge/Sutherland/Pavarotti/Cossa

CO

Molinari-Pradelli/Gueden/diStefano

Donizetti

Lucrezia Borgia

PK

Perlea/Caballe/Flagello/Kraus

VN,CO

Bonynge/Sutherland/Arragall/Horne

Donizetti

Lucia di…

PK,VN

Karajan/Callas/Di Stefano/Panerai

VN,CO

Bonynge/Sutherland/Pavarotti/Milnes

Donizetti

La Fille du…

PK

Campanella/Anderson/Kraus

VN,CO

Bonynge/Sutherland/Pavarotti

Donizetti

Don Pasquale

PK

Sabajno/Badini/Schipa/Poli

CO

Kertesz/Sciutti/Corena/Oncina

Donizetti

Anna Bolena

VN

Bonynge/Sutherland/Hadley

CO

Varviso/Suliotis/Ghiaurov/Horne

Donizetti

Mary Stuarda

VN

Bonynge/Sutherland/Pavarotti

Donizetti

Roberto Dev…

VN

Rudel/Caballe/Carreras

Dvořák

Rusalka

PK

Neuman/Novak/Benackova

EnesCO

Oedipe

PK

Foster/Van Dam/Bacquier/Gedda

Erkel

Bank Ban

PK

Forencsik/Solyom-Nagy/Komlossy/Reti

Falla

La Vide Breve

PK

Fruhbeck de Burgos/De Los Angeles

Gershwin

Porgy and Bess

PK

Rattle/White/Haymon

JC

DeMain

CO

Maazel/White/Mitchell

Giordano

Andrea Chenier

PK

Gavazeni/Del Monaco/Tebaldi

CO

Levine/Scotto/Domingo/Milnes

Glinka

A life for…

PK

Markevich/Christoff/Stich-Randall

Gluck

Orfeo ed…

PK

Gardiner/Von Otter/Hendricks

CO

de Froment/Gedda/Verrett/Moffo ???

JC

Solti/Horne

Gluck

Iphigénie…

PK

Gardiner/Montague/Allen/Aler

Gounod

Roméo et…

PK,VN

Plasson/Kraus/Malfitano/Van Dam

Gounod

Faust

VN,CO

Cluytens/de los Angeles/Gedda

Handel

Flavio

PK

Jacobs/Gall/Ragin/Lootens

Handel

Tamerlano

PK

Gardiner/Ragin/Robson/Argenta

Handel

Giulio Cesare

CO

Bohm/Fischer-Dieskau/Seefried

Humperdinck

Hansel und…

PK

Tate/Von Otter/Bonney/Lipovek

CO

Eichorn/Donath/Moffo/Ludwig

Humperdinck

Konigskinder

PK

Walberg/Dallapozza/Donath/Prey

Janáček

Jenůfa

PK,VN

Mackerras/Soderstrom/Randova

Janáček

The Cunning…

PK

Mackerras/Popp/Randova/Marova

Janáček

From the…

PK

Mackerras/Zahradnicek/Zidek/Zitek

Lehar

Lustige Witwe

VN

Matacic/Schwarzkopf/Gedda/Weachter

CO,JC

Ackermann/Schwarzkopf/Kunz

Leoncavallo

Pagliacci

PK

Cellini/Björling/De Los Angeles

CO

Serafin/diStefano/Callas/Gobbi

Lortzing

Der wildschutz

PK

Heger/Prey/Litz/Wunderlich

Lully

Atys

PK

Christie/De Mey/Laurens/Mellon

Mascagni

Cavalleria…

PK

Santini/De Los Angeles/Corelli

JC

Karajan

JC

/Tebaldi/Björling

CO

Serafin/Callas/diStefano/Panerai

Massenet

Manon

PK,VN

Monteux/De Los Angeles/Legay/Dens

VN

Plasson/Cotrubas/Krauss/Quilico

CO

Rudel/Sills/Gedda

Massenet

Esclarmonde

PK

Bonynge/Sutherland/Tourangeau

Massenet

Werther

PK

Plasson/Trotanos/Kraus/Manuguerra

VN

Davis/von Stade/Carreras

CO

Pretre/Gedda/De Los Angeles

Massenet

Thais

VN

Etchevery/Doria/Vanzo/Massard

Menotti

The Consul

CO

Engel/Neway

Meyerbeer

L'Africaine

CO

Perisson/Verrett/Domingo

Meyerbeer

Les Huguenots

VN,CO

Bonynge/Sutherland/Arroyo

Meyerbeer

Le Prophete

VN

Lewis/Horne/McCracken/Scotto

Moussorgski

Boris Godounov

PK

Cluytens/Christoff/Alexieva

CO

Dobrowen/Christoff/Gedda

Moussorgski

Khovanschina

PK

Abbado/Haugland/Atlantov/Popov

Monteverdi

La Favola d'…

PK

Corboz/Tappy/Schwartz/Staempfli

Monteverdi

Incoronazione..

PK

Jacobs/Borst/Laurens/Larmore

Mozart

Entfuehrung…

CO,JC

Bohm/Auger/Schreier

Mozart

Idomeneo

PK,JC

Gardiner/Rolfe Johnson/Von Otter

CO

Davis/Shirley/Davies

Mozart

Le Nozze di…

PK,VN

Giulini/Taddei/Moffo/Wachter

CO

Kleiber,E/Gueden/Siepi/Della Casa

Mozart

Don Giovanni

PK

Haitink/Allen/Vaness/Lewis

VN,CO

Guilini/Waechter/Schwarzkopf/Taddei

Mozart

Cosí fan Tutte

PK,VN

Karajan/Schwarzkopf/Merriman

JC

Leinsdorff

JC

Solti

JC

Haitink

VN,CO

Boehm/Schwarzkopf/Ludwig

Mozart

La Clemenza…

PK

Kertesz/Krenn/Berganza/Casula

JC

Davis

JC

Gardiner

Mozart

Die Zauberflote

PK

Levine/Cotrubas/Tappy/Boesch

VN,CO

Klemperer/Janowitz/Putz/Popp

Nicolai

Die Lustige…

PK

Heger/Frick/Gutstein/Engen

Offenbach

Orphee…

PK

Plasson/Rhodes/Mesple/Senechal

Offenbach

Les Contes…

PK

Cambreling/Shicoff/Murray/Serra

VN,JC

Bonynge/Domingo/Sutherland

CO

Cluytens/Gedda/d'Angelo

Offenbach

La Belle Helene

VN,SM

Plasson/Norman/Aler/Bacquier

Offenbach

La Grande-Duch.

NH

Pepusch

The Beggar's…

CO

Austin/Noble/Prietto/Lipton

Pfitzner

Palestrina

PK

Kubelik/Ridderbusch/Weikl

Ponchielli

La Gioconda

VN

Bartoletti/Caballe/Pavarotti

CO,JC

Gardelli/Tebaldi/Bergonzi/Horne

Prokofieff

Amour des…

PK

Nagano/Bacquier/Viala/Perraguin

JC

(Melodia, 60s)

Puccini

La Boheme

PK,VN,CO

Beecham/De Los Angeles/Björling

VN,CO

Karajan/Freni/Pavarotti

Puccini

Tosca

PK,VN,CO

De Sabata/Callas/Di Stefano/Gobbi

Puccini

Madama But…

PK,CO

Barbirolli/Scotto/Bergonzi

VN

Gavazzeni/De los Angeles/Di Stefano

Puccini

La Rondine

PK,CO

Molinari-Pradelli/Moffo/Barioni

VN

Maazel/Te Kanawa/Domingo/Nicolesco

Puccini

La Fanciulla…

PK,CO

Mehta/Neblett/Domingo/Milnes

Puccini

Turandot

PK

Molinari-Pradelli/Nilsson/Corelli

VN,CO,JC

Mehta/Sutherland/Pavarotti

CO

Molinari-Pradelli/Nilsson/Björling

Puccini

Manon Lescaut

VN

Sinopoli/Freni/Domingo/Bruson

CO

Bartoletti/Domingo/Caballe

Purcell

Dido and Aeneas

PK

Leppard/Norman/Allen

CO

Lewis/Baker/Herincx

Ravel

L' Heure…

PK

Maazel/Berbie/Giraudeau/Bacquier

CO

Ensermet/Danco

Ravel

L' Enfant…

PK

Maazel/Ogeas/Collard/Berbie

CO

Ensermet/Wend/Danco

Rimski-Korsakov

Shnegourochka

PK

Fedosejev/Archipova/Vedernikov

Rossini

L' Italiana…

PK,CO

Varviso/Berganza/Alva/Corena

VN

/Horne

Rossini

Il Barbiere…

PK

Marriner/Allen/Baltsa/Araiza

CO

Galliera/Callas/Gobbi/Alva

Rossini

Semiramide

PK

Bonynge/Sutherland/Horne

Rossini

Il Viaggio…

PK

Abbado/Gasdia/Terrani/Cuberli

Rossini

La Cenerentola

CO

de Fabritiis/Simionato/Benelli

Rossini

Guilaumme Tell

VN,CO

Gardelli/Caballe/Gedda/Bacquier

Saint-Saëns

Samson et…

PK

Pretre/Gorr/Vickers/Blanc

VN

Patane/Ludwig/King

Schreker

Der ferne Klang

(Marco Polo)

Schreker

Die Schatzgraeber

(Cappriccio)

Schreker

Die Gezeichneten

(Marco Polo)

Schubert

Fierrabras

PK

Abbado/Holl/Mattila/Hampson

Shostakovich

The Nose

PK

Rosjdestvenski/Achimov/Belich

Shostakovich

Lady Macbeth…

BH,GR

Rostropovich/Vishnesvskya

Smetana

The Bartered…

PK

Kempe/Lorengar/Wunderlich/Frick

CO

Chalabala/Tikalova/Zidek

Sondheim

Sweeney Todd

CO

Original Cast Recording

Strauss, J

Die Fledermaus

PK

Karajan/Kmentt/Gueden/Koth

VN

Karajan/Schwarzkopf/Streich/Gedda

CO

Krauss/Lipp/Gueden/Berry

Strauss, J

The Gypsy Baron

CO

Ackermann/Gedda/Schwarzkopf/Kunz

Strauss, R

Elektra

PK,CO

Solti/Resnik/Nilsson/Collier

Strauss, R

Salome

VN,JC

Leinsdorf/Caballe/Lewis/Resnik

VN,CO

Solti/Nilsson/Hoffman/Stolze

VN

Karajan/Behrens/Bohme/Baltsa

JC

Sinopoli/Studer

Strauss, R

Der Rosen…

PK

Kleiber, E/Reining/Weber/Jurinac

VN,CO

Karajan/Schwarzkopf/Ludwig

JC

Solti

Strauss, R

Die Frau…

PK

Sawallisch/Kollo/Studer/Schwarz

VN

Solti/Varady/Domingo/Behrens

CO

Bohm/Hopf/Rysanek/Scoeffler

Strauss, R

Arabella

PK

Sawallisch/Berry/Schmidt/Varady

VN

Tate/Te Kanawa

CO

Solti/Della Casa/London/Gueden

Stravinsky

Oedipus Rex

CO

Solti/Pears/Meyer/McCowen

Stravinsky

Rake's Progress

CO

Stravinsky/Young/Raskin/Reardon

JC

Atherton/Langridge

Tippett

The Midsummer…

CO

Davis/Carlyle/Remedios

Tchaikovsky

Eugene Onegin

CO

Rostropovich/Masurok/Vishnevskaya

Tchaikovsky

The Queen…

PK

Tchakarov/Ochman/Konsoelov

Verdi

Ernani

CO

Schippers/Price/Bergonzi/Sereni

Verdi

Nabucco

CO

Gardelli/Suliotis/Gobbi

Verdi

Luisa Miller

CO

Cleva/Moffo/Bergonzi/MacNeil

Verdi

Macbeth

PK,CO

Leinsdorf/Warren/Rysanek/Hines

JC

Muti

Verdi

Rigoletto

PK

Solti/Merrill/Moffo/Kraus

JC

Kubelik/F-D/Bergonzi/Scotto/Cossotto

VN

Serafin/Gobbi/Callas/Di Stefano

CO

Cellini/Warren/Berger/Peerce

Verdi

Il Trovatore

PK,CO

Cellini/Björling/Milanov/Warren

VN

Mehta/Price/Domingo/Cosotto

Verdi

La Traviata

PK

Ghione/Callas/Kraus/Sereni

CO

Pritchard/Sutherland/Bergonzi

Verdi

Simon Bocc…

PK,CO

Abbado/Cappuccilli/Freni/Ghiaurov

Verdi

Un Ballo…

PK,VN,CO

Leinsdorf/Price/Bergonzi/Merrill

VN

Solti/M. Price/Pavarotti/Bruson

Verdi

La Forza…

PK,VN,CO

Schippers/Price/Tucker/Merrill

VN

Levine/Price/Domingo/Milness/Cosotto

Verdi

Don Carlos

PK,CO

Giulini/Domingo/Caballe/Verrett

VN

Abbado/Domingo/Riciarelli/Terrini/Nuci

Verdi

Aïda

PK,JC

Perlea/Milanov/Barbieri/Björling

VN,JC

Solti/Price/Vickers/Gorr

JC

Muti/Caballe/Cossotto/Domingo

CO,JC

Serafin/Tucker/Callas/Barbieri

Verdi

Otello

PK,CO

Serafin/Vickers/Gobbi/Andreolli

JC,CO

Toscanini/Vinay

JC

Karajan

JC,VN

Levine/Domingo/Scotto/Milnes

Verdi

Falstaff

PK,CO

Karajan/Gobbi/Alva/Panerai

VN

Giulini/Bruson

Wagner

Der fliegende..

PK,CO

Klemperer/Adam/Silja/Talvela

Wagner

Lohengrin

PK,CO

Kempe/Thomas/Grummer/Frick

VN

Solti/Domingo/Norman

JC

Kubelik/Janowitz/King

Wagner

Tristan…

PK

Bohm/Windgassen/Talvela/Nilsson

CO

Karajan/Vickers/Dernesch

Wagner

Meistersinger..

PK

Karajan/Edelmann/Dalberg/Kunz

JC,CO

Karajan/Donath/Kollo/Adam

VN

Jochum/Fisher-Dieskau/Ligendza/Lagger

Wagner

Der Ring…

PK,VN

Solti/Nilsson/Windgassen

CO

Karajan

CO

Bohm

Wagner

Die Walküre

PK

Leinsdorf/Nilsson/Brouwenstijn

JC

Solti (as above)

Wagner

Tannhäuser

CO,VN

Sinopoli/Domingo/Studer/Baltsa/Salminen

Wagner

Parsifal

PK

Solti/Dieskau/Hotter/Frick

CO

Knappertbusch/Thomas/London

Weill

Aufstieg und…

CO

Bruckner-Ruggeberg/Lenya/Saverbaum

Weill

Dreigroschen…

CO

Bruckner-Ruggeberg/Lenya/Schellow

Initials indicate that the recording following the initials is considered to be very good (often even the best) by the owner of these initials. In case of PK, it also indicates that this opera was in the original list. If no recording follows the initials this means this opera is one of the most beautiful 100 operas, or simply that it's a very beautiful opera, in the opinion of the owner of the initials.

EB

Eric E. Bowles

JC

Jon Conrad

PD

Peter DeLafosse

NH

Nadine S Harris

BH

Bill McHenry

SM

Scott Marley

VN

Vinh Nguyen

CO

Charles Osborne

PK

Paul Korenhof

GR

Gavin Ramsay

Paul Korenhof is the author of the list as in the original posting. He is chief-editor of "Opera Skala", as far as I know the only full-color magazine on Opera in the Netherlands, and of "Luister", the leading magazine on classical music.

For operas where there is no "JC", Jon Conrad agrees with PK (at least that the recording PK picks is good; there is no recording obviously better, in JC's opinion). "Die Zauberflote" is the only exception on this (from JC's postings).

The "CO" recommendations come from a list, similar to Korenhof's. Alak Chakravorty posted it. He got it from a book from 1983 by Charles Osborne, therefore no recordings from after 1983 are included.